Gwadar Port begins handling Afghan transit trade

• The handling began when a ship with cargo for Afghanistan anchored at the port.
• Pakistan in October last year allowed the transit trade for Afghanistan from the port.

Pakistan’s newly developed Gwadar seaport has began handling transit cargo headed to and from neighboring Afghanistan, which is a landlocked country, marking a significant step for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). 

The handling officially began with a ship bearing cargo for Afghanistan anchored at the port, carrying first consignment of fertilizer for Afghanistan from the United Arab Emirates.

A batch of the students of a local girls college welcomed the port call of the first ship of Afghan transit trade. In October last year, Pakistan allowed the transit trade for Afghanistan from the port in country's southwestern Balochistan province.

The Gwadar Port is a vital clog of the CPEC, under which China is building major infrastructure projects including roads, power plants, economic zones in Pakistan to improve connectivity between the two allied nations and the region in general.

A notification to the effect said the trade related infrastructure at Gwadar Port is ready to handle bulk cargoes to and from Afghanistan.

The Gwadar port became operational for trade activities in November 2016.